Illuminating device



Jul! .15; 1947. R. F. E. s'rEG'EMAN 2,424,064

ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed July 13, 1944 un 'aan Same.

other modification.

Patented July l5, 1947 OFFICE mLUMlNA'rING'DEvIoE Raymond F. E. Stegeman to Bausch & Lomb p ter, N.v Y., a corporation of New York Application July 1c, 1944, serial No. 544,756

s claims. icl. 24o- 2.18)

' This invention relates to an illuminating device and more particularly it has reference to means whereby light rays, emanating from a source, may be directed through a iiexed tube.

The primary object ofV this inventionis to'provide means yof the type described whereby'light rays from a source may be conlined and 'directed into selectively adjusted position with respect to the source. A further object is to provide'means whereby light rays from a source may be directed through a iiexed tube.- Other objects are yto provide a device of the type described which can be readily and cheaply manufactured and which will Y be convenient and efficient in use. Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts which will hereinafter bev more fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows an illuminating device, with parts in section, embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view, with parts broken away, showing the construction ol."

-. the iiexible tube and the reecting elements.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale showing the reecting, surface of the element.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modication.

Fig. 5 is ya fragmentary elevational view of Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of an- Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional another modification.

In a preferred embodiment of my invention,

y shown in Fig. 1, I0 indicates a casing carryingal battery (not shown) for supplying electric current to an incandescent lamp I 3 carried within a sleeve I2 mounted on cap il secured to casing I0. A iiexible tubular member I4, which is pref- I erably opaque and formed of any suitable material such as rubber, `is slipped snugly over the sleeve I2 so as to be securely held thereby.

Mounted within the tube I4 are the glass reflecting elements I5 which areformed as short cylindrical tubes carrying the silvered reilecting surfaces I. These reiiecting elements are positioned in substantially end-to-cnd relationship and extend from a point adjacent the light source I3 to the other end I'I of the tube I4. Since the elements are separate, it will be apparent'that, as the tube I4 is exed, the elements adjacent the point of exure will be separated from each other as illustrated clearly in Fig. 1. The end I1 of the tube I4 may be closed by a block or rod oi'.

Greece, N. Y., assigner tical Company, Rochesmaterial I 8 such as glass or a transparent plastic. In operation of my device, light rays from :the

source I3 will4 strike the adjacent elements I5 and thence be successively reflected by other elements view 'of still I5 until a portion V.01' the light rays` emerges through the transparent-rod I B at the end of tubey I4. When thetube I4" is exedinto a position shown in Fig. 1, some of the light rayswill take the paths indicated on thedrawing.

In some instances?, it may lie-desirable to provide means for holding the fiiexible tube I4 in adjusted position. 'One method o1' accomplishing this is to provide an outer casing for the tube I4 such as a well known type of flexible'metal conduit comprising a metal strip which is helically wound around the tube I4. edge 2| of another helical strip 20 engages a similar cooperating edge 22 onY strip I9 so that the members I9 and 2U may be selectively flexed and the friction between the metallic members I9 and 20 is sufficient. to hold the tube I4 in adjusted position. As shown in Fig. 6, a condensing lens element 23' may be heldv in a bushing 24 inserted in the end of tube I4 instead ofthe rod I8. In Fig. '7 I have shown a further modification of course, that any suitable materials may be used in the construction of the various forms of my device. Thus, for example, the flexible tube I4 may be of plastic material, artificial rubber, or the like and thereiiecting elements I5 may be formed of silvered or aluminized glass cylinders or they may be made of metal tubing having an inner polished face. It has previously vbeen proposed to transmit light rays from a source through a curved cylindrical rod made of glass or other light transmitting material. With such devices, a great deal of light is absorbed Awhilepassing through the solid material of the rod and then,

of course, the rod i s not iiexble. With my vinvention, however, the light rays are reflected through air so that thc absorption is not as great and my construction also permits the tube to be exed in any desired direction with yrespect to the source. Various other kmodifications can The inturned 3 obviously be made without departing from the spirit o! my invention.

I claim:

1. "An illuminating device comprising a flexible tube, light reflecting means positioned within the bore of the tube, said means being substantially coextensive with the bore of the tube, said means comprising a plurality of spaced tubular reflecting elements arranged in end-to-end relation within the bore of the tube, a light source positioned at one end of the tube for directing light rays onto the inner faces of said elements, the light rays being successively reflected by said elements when the tube is flexed whereby light rays will emerge from the other end of the flexed tube.

2. An illuminating device comprising a flexible tube, a. plurality of cylindrical tubular elements positioned within the bore of the tube in end-toend relation with the axes thereof substantially coincident with the axis of the tube, the walls of said elements serving as reflecting means, and means for projecting light rays onto the inner walls of said elements at one end of the tube whereby the light rays will be successively reflected by the elements and emerge at the other end of the tube when the tube is flexed.

3. An illuminating device comprising a flexible tube, a plurality of tubular elements positioned within the bore of the tube in end-tO-end relation with the axes thereof substantially coincident with the axis of the tube, the walls of said elements serving as reflecting means, means for projecting light rays onto said elements at one end of the tube whereby the light rays will be successively reflected by the elements and emerge at the other end of the tube when the tube is flexed, and means for holding said tube in selected, flexed position.

4. An illuminating device comprising a. flexible` tube, light reflecting means substantially coextensive with and positioned within the bore of the tube, said means comprising aplurality of tubular elements arranged in end-to-end relation, said means being located on opposite sides of the axis` of the tube and a lightsource positioned at one end of the tube for directing light rays onto said means whereby light rays will be reilected successively by the means in paths diagonal to the axis of the tube and emerge from'the other end of the tube when the tube is flexed in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the reflecting surfaces of the means, and means for selectively holding the tube in flexed position, said last named means comprising helically wound members substantially surrounding that portion of the tube which is to be flexed, the edge portions of the helically wound members being in ftictional engagement with each other.

5. An illuminating device comprising a. casing carrying a light source, a collar surrounding the source and carried by the casing, a flexible tube having one end secured over the collar, a plurality of tubular, cylindrical elements positioned in the tube'in end-to-end relation and extending substantially throughout the length of the tube, the inner walls of the elements being adapted to reflect light rays, the end-to-end spacing of the clements permitting flexing of the tube, iight rays from the source being successively reflected by the elements and directed out through the other end of the tube as the latter is flexed whereby light rays from the source may be selectively directed by flexing the tube.

RAYMOND F. E. STEGEMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 247,229 Wheeler Sept. 20, 1881 1,751,584 Hanseli Mar. 25, 1930 218,055 Nitze a July 29, 1879 1,550,197 Berry Aug. 18, 1925 1,782,906 Newman Nov. 25, 1930 1,915,811 Wolf June 27, 1933 917,021 De Zeng Apr. 6, 1909 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 787,117 France 1935 

